Juan Alejandro Acosta

Juan Alejandro Acosta Bustamante (1813–1886) was born in Baní into a locally prominent family. At the age of sixteen, Acosta became a good friend of Juan Pablo Duarte. Acosta became a member of the secret patriotic society, La Trinitaria (The Trinity). He commanded the brigantine Leonor, the first ship to fly the Dominican flag. Acosta commanded various Dominican warships during the fighting against Haiti. He opposed annexation of the Dominican Republic to another nation and was expelled from the Dominican Republic by Buenaventura Báez. He died in poverty.